Arthritis and Green Tea - Can it Really Help?

Arthritis has been a recognized medical condition since ancient times, and the Chinese had developed numerous formulas for its treatment. Chinese herbal formulas were not specifically designed for either of the two major types of arthritis defined today. The basis for Chinese doctors differentiating arthritis into subgroups was not the microscopic details of the pathology. Instead, arthritis was divided into traditional medicine categories: hot and cold types, upper and lower body involvement, deficiency or excess syndrome, pain characteristics (such as variability and severity), and whether the site of the arthritis was fixed or "moving."

In China, syndromes similar to rheumatoid arthritis were an area of special concern, generating considerable literature on the subject, since the condition could arise suddenly and could rapidly become severely debilitating. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, tended to be lumped together with other disorders of aging, in which stiffness and pain, especially of the legs, was considered just one part of the gradual deterioration of body functions that occurs with old age.

One of the methods that Traditional Chinese Medicine uses against arthritis is acupuncture - the insertion of superfine, disposable, sterilised needles to stimulate vital energy, promoting pain relief and restoring essential balance allowing a feeling of well-being.

To help keep your body's nutrients in balance we recommend at least three cups of a good quality, pure organic green tea or oolong Tea a day. Drink the tea without milk, cream or sugar. Studies in Japan suggest that 7 or more cups of green tea per day could supply the body with antioxidants and other nutrients that may help to stave off diseases of old age - hear disease, arthritis etc.

Arthritis sufferers can often improve their situation by changing their eating habits. Seek advice from a qualified nutritionist for your own specific situation but as a rule, if you suffer from any form of arthritis you should cut down on all cheese and dairy. Smoking and black coffee is a dire combination and if this describes you, you must quickly look for better and healthier alternatives such as green tea.